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Duracell Leak Guarantee Claim Turnaround Time

For those of you who have sent items damaged by leaking Duracell batteries to them to be repaired or replaced under their guarantee, how long did it take to get your item back?

I shipped them a camera flash damaged by leaking Duracell AA alkaline batteries two months ago and haven't heard anything back from them. Tracking confirms they received it July 3. Should I be worried at this point that I'm never going to hear back from them, or does it typically take this long?

Re: Duracell Leak Guarantee Claim Turnaround Time

Originally Posted by picolumen

I shipped them a camera flash damaged by leaking Duracell AA alkaline batteries two months ago and haven't heard anything back from them. Tracking confirms they received it July 3. Should I be worried at this point that I'm never going to hear back from them, or does it typically take this long?

Be worried, but not too much.

Also, read up on how to take companies to small claims court. I'll bet €0.02 that it'd start with a warning of intent to seek judgement, and that would probably get their attention.

Before that though, fire off an email asking for a status, and make it clear you need an answer "asap, and no later than 14 days". Then forget about it for two weeks. With any luck, it'll work itself out nicely.

Re: Duracell Leak Guarantee Claim Turnaround Time

I sent Duracell an email yesterday telling them about the leak that ruined my Nitecore EA4. Within two hours they had responded asking some questions (best before date on battery, where purchased, how much to replace unit). An hour later I got an email saying they are reimbursing me for the replacement of the flashlight. I am awaiting the email from Chase Bank with deposit info.

So I have done right by them (so far), except I won't use Duracell alkaline batteries (or any other alkaline, for that matter) in the new lamp.

Re: Duracell Leak Guarantee Claim Turnaround Time

Well, six months after shipping my camera flash to Duracell, I received a letter from them in the mail today. I'm glad I didn't send them anything expensive that might have been repairable.

They say they are sending me a $20 check in a few weeks "to help offset the cost of replacement." I was very clear in the letter I sent with the flash that it cost $40 and even included the Amazon receipt. Their guarantee also states clearly that they will "repair or replace" (not offset the cost) the damaged item. Instead, they decided to replace half my flash. Basically, I'm only getting $10 towards a new flash after I paid to ship this thing to them, and that's not even worth the time I wasted sending it back.

I can't believe it took them six months to deliver that kind of disappointment. I'm also surprised a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary would trade customer loyalty and goodwill to save a measly $20.

And to make matters worse, I spent an hour removing yet more leaking Duracell batteries from an aluminum flashlight just a couple weeks ago. They corroded the inside of the flashlight badly enough to freeze themselves in place. I had to resort to driving a large deck screw into the end of the batteries and pulling them out with pliers by the screw.

I'm going to do my best to never buy a single Duracell product ever again for the rest of my life. Never again, Duracell. Never again.